It is our duty under the HSW to ensure that all children are safe when in when in our care. This means that all qualified people within this environment must have a qualification in first aid and be able to carry out risk assessments when required.

Some examples of the type of risk assessments we must do are as follows:

There must always be enough adult supervisors

Any climbing aids such as step ladders must be put away immediately after use

No chemicals such as bleach and detergents’ should be left out

Electrical plug sockets should be covered at all times

All exit doors should be locked

All fire escapes should be clear

In addition we must also be vigilant in noticing how a child attends that day. For example do they have a bruise on their face and if so it should be noted or has the bruise been noticed later during the day. If this is the case then every attempt should be made to cooborate with another trained professional that they didn’t attend with the bruise. Then, it should be noted in the incident book. If we have any further concerns about the incident we should refer it to our line manager who in turn can follow it up.

Relevant legal requirements covering the way you relate to and interact with children.

The Children’s Act 2004

The Children Bill received Royal Assent on 15 November and is now the Children Act 2004. The Act provides a legislative spine for the wider strategy for improving children’s lives. This covers the universal services which every child accesses, and more targeted services for those with additional needs.

The overall aim is to encourage integrated planning, commissioning and delivery of services as well as improve multi-disciplinary working, remove duplication, increase accountability and improve the coordination of individual and joint inspections in local authorities. The legislation is enabling rather than prescriptive and provides local authorities with a considerable amount of flexibility in the way they implement its provisions.

Details about the implementation of the Act and the wider reform programme are available in Every Child Matters: Change for Children.

The Children Act 2004 places a duty on local authorities to promote the educational achievement of looked after children

Relevant legal requirements and procedures covering confidentiality and the disclosure of information.

Data Protection Act 1998

The Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament which defines UK law on the processing of data on identifiable living people. It is the main piece of legislation that governs the protection of personal data in the UK. Although the Act itself does not mention privacy, it was enacted to bring UK law into line with the European Directive of 1995 which required Member States to protect people’s fundamental rights and freedoms and in particular their right to privacy with respect to the processing of personal data. In practice it provides a way for individuals to control information about themselves. Most of the Act does not apply to domestic use,[1] for example keeping a personal address book. Anyone holding personal data for other purposes is legally obliged to comply with this Act, subject to some exemptions. The Act defines eight data protection principles.

The types of information that should be treated confidentially: who you can and cannot share this information with.

What is Confidential Information?

Confidential information is:

personal information of a private or sensitive nature; and information that is not already lawfully in the public domain or readily available from another public source; and information that has been shared in circumstances where the person giving the information could reasonably expect that it would not be shared with others.

When is Confidence breached?

Confidence is only breached where the sharing of confidential information is not authorised by the person who provided it or to whom it relates. If the information was provided on the understanding that it would be shared with a limited range of people or for limited purposes, then sharing in accordance with that understanding will not be a breach of confidence. Similarly, there will not be breach of confidence where there is explicit consent to the sharing.

When can you share Confidential Information without consent?

Even where sharing of confidential information is not authorised by the person who provided it or to whom it relates, practitioners may lawfully share it if this can be justified in the public interest. Seeking consent should be the first option, if appropriate. Where consent cannot be obtained to the sharing of the information or is refused, the question of whether there is a sufficient public interest must be judged by the practitioner on the facts of each case. Therefore, where a practitioner has a concern about a child or young person, they should not regard refusal of consent as necessarily precluding the sharing of confidential information.

Sharing without consent in the public interest

It is possible to identify some circumstances in which sharing confidential information without consent will normally be justified in the public interest. These are:

When there is evidence that the child is suffering or is at risk of suffering significant harm

Where there is reasonable cause to believe that a child may be suffering or at risk of significant harm

To prevent significant harm arising to children and young people or serious harm to adults, including through the prevention, detection and prosecution of serious crime.

Serious crime for the purposes of this guidance means any crime which causes or is likely to cause significant harm to a child or young person or serious harm to an adult.

What factors are important before deciding to share confidential Information?

The key factors in deciding whether or not to share confidential information are necessity and proportionality, i.e. whether the proposed sharing is a proportionate response to the need to protect the public interest in question, for example to take action to protect the person, to promote a person’s safety and well-being or to prevent crime and disorder. In making the decision, practitioners must weigh up what might happen if the information is shared against what might happen if it is not, and make a decision based on a reasonable judgement.

What to do if you are worried a child is being abused

Everyone working with children and young people should be familiar with local procedures and protocols for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people. Adults have a duty to report any child protection or welfare concerns to a designated member of staff in their organisation and/or report any concerns to the local social care office. Anyone who has concerns or is in doubt should refer to the document ’What To Do If You’re Worried a Child Is Being Abused” and follow that guidance.

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Safety checking of the children’s indoor and outdoor environment before and during work activities, to include:

• Facilities and equipment
• Toilet and washing areas
• Movement and activity of children
A risk assessment should always be carried out when required this may require to be done on a daily basis or maybe when a new piece of apparatus has been introduced. A risk assessment is basically a consideration of what accidents may occur during an activity, how to prevent accidents from happening and a record of both. If something does go wrong, then your risk assessment will demonstrate that you considered the possibility of the accident happening and took measures to prevent it from happening.

Security arrangements to include:

• Children’s arrival at the setting
CCTV monitoring done on all entry points of the setting.
Parents or carers must accompany a child to the setting
All children are required to wait at the coloured cones at their assembly points
All children are required to walk in line when entering the building

• Children’s departure from the setting
CCTV monitoring done on all enxit points of the setting.
Parents or carers must collect children and any changes must be advised before collecting.
All children are required to wait in the class to be collected

• Outings
Permission slips must be signed
All children are checked out
All children must stay with the group
All children are checked in

Focussed attention is important for a child’s self esteem. Focussed attention is dedicating some one on one time to be with a child and play with them, chat or just listen to what they have to say. Through doing this you can develop a positive relationship and respond more sensitively to them. Focussed attention helps a child feel valued as a person and gives them a sense of identity.
You should make time to spend one on one time with children and this can be achieved through the key worker process. When giving focussed attention you may just sit and play with the child or chat to them about what they are doing. This should not be a rushed process and you should take it slowly. You can help a child’s self esteem through talking about their achievements or what they are doing at the time. You should find ways of encouraging and valuing children without interrogating them. It is also important that you do not overlook quieter children and also spend some time with them.

I would do this through an activity it’s always useful and also working with a group of children who can work and support each other, and by not rushing them
I could take the activity one step further by adding new resources or allowing the child to practice the same skill again by using different resources provided. Fine Motor skills can be developed by sorting activities using small items to start with and then moving to larger items. For example beads are used at first, then threading, then blocks that need threading- essentially this is the same activity but using different sized and shaped items. If the activity proves too difficult then altering it and working through small steps can often lead to the same way to achievement. Praise and encouragement must be given Praise and encouragement for the things they can do and praise and encouragement for the fact of trying a task that is difficult, even if they do not succeed is always important for building self-esteem.

When an adult communicates with a child with positive actions, they in turn receive a positive input to them and so this reflects on the child’s behaviour, producing a calmer, happy and confident child that is well behaved and respectful. When a child suffers criticism and is put down then this will force negative behaviour. You find the child being more badly behaved and more negative in life and lacking in confidence and being highly insecure, whilst seeking the love and attention that they have lacked and craved. It is important that from a young age we teach the child how to communicate by our practice and example to them, giving the child lot’s of praise, encouragement as well as healthy discipline and allow them to learn from us. A child who has been encouraged and respected and allowed to voice their opinion will be more free in their speech and confidence as they grow. A child that have lacked this attention and love will only know how to seek attention by showing hate and anger and doing bad things to seek attention. The way a child is taught shows on the child’s behaviour and personality even in later life. This is why we must get it right.

Focussed attention is important for a child’s self esteem. Focussed attention is dedicating some one on one time to be with a child and play with them, chat or just listen to what they have to say. Through doing this you can develop a positive relationship and respond more sensitively to them. Focussed attention helps a child feel valued as a person and gives them a sense of identity.
You should make time to spend one on one time with children and this can be achieved through the key worker process. When giving focussed attention you may just sit and play with the child or chat to them about what they are doing. This should not be a rushed process and you should take it slowly. You can help a child’s self esteem through talking about their achievements or what they are doing at the time. You should find ways of encouraging and valuing children without interrogating them. It is also important that you do not overlook quieter children and also spend some time with them.

When dealing with confidentiality I adhere to the Data Protection Act 1998, I maintain confidentiality when dealing with any personal information about a child. I treat all information that has been given to me as confidential following the guidelines of my settings confidentiality policy, I would only disclose information to the relevant professionals on a need to know basis only. All documentation regarding personal information about a child or their families placed in a locked draw or file.

It is the policy of our company to respect the privacy of children and their parents and carers. We aim to ensure that all parents and carers can share their information in the confidence that it will only be used to enhance the welfare of the children. To ensure that all those using and working in the school can do so with confidence, we must respect Confidentiality in the following ways:

•Parents have ready access to the files and records of their own children but not any other child.
•Staff will not discuss personal information given by parents with other members of staff, except where it affects planning for the child’s needs.
•Any concerns/evidence relating to a child’s personal safety are kept in a secure, confidential file and shared with as few people as possible on a need-to-know basis.
•Personal information about children, families and staff are kept securely in a lockable file.
•Issues to do with the employment staff, whether paid or unpaid, remain confidential.
•Students on training, when they are observing in the school, are advised of our Confidentiality policy and required to respect it.

All the requirements above are subject to the paramount commitment of the school, to the safety and well being of the child.
Breaking of these rules and confidentiality in any shape or form will have very serious consequences which will be analyzed by the school’s governing body and could even result in The loss of employment.

Disagreements happen. Conflicts can have adverse effects on us all. As individual, whether at home, work or social setting we all have different opinions, values and concerns. Some conflicts are minor and others can become major. Usually conflicts are not resolved until we deal with them. One of the people involved in the conflict must decide to overcome the emotions and get down to the root of the problem. This is to say take a lead and try to manage the situation instead of letting the situation manage the people. Leaders must learn how to cope with conflict to be healthier, happier and more effective in groups.

The important thing is when disagreements build, conflict occurs. Managing conflict require skilful techniques. These techniques are also helpful when dealing with disagreements, the start of conflicts. Conflict occurs in every group. Issues affecting one member usually have an impact on other members as well. An effective group, whether social, vocational or personal is one that is not afraid to take risks. taking risk will come when the group understand that all conflicts will be resolved in a timely and effective manner. This will allow members to be more satisfied, productive and that feel they can communicate without reserve.

An emotional safe environment is where children know there will be consistency and that adults will be there for them. They must be able to express and control their own feelings, knowing that adults around them will be there for them and value them unconditionally. Children need to know that their feelings, positive or negative feelings will always be acknowledged. It’s important for adults create safe emotional environments for children o that they able to deal with any changes or stress in their lives. This can simply be done by offering trust, openness, and honesty.